E norris peters co



(No Modem 2y sheets-sheet 1. T. THORP, T.G`. MARSH & J. HYNES.` GOINONTROLLED PR'BPAYMENT GAS METER.

No. 537,502. PatentedApr. 16, 1895.v

UNGONSUME D PAID FOR BUT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

v{No Model.)

T. THORP, T. G. MARSH a J. HAYNBS.

GOIN CONTROLLED PREPAYMENT GAS METER.'

Umano STATES PATENT Outrun.

THOMAS THORP, OF WHITEFIELD, THOMAS GARDINER MARSH, OF MANCHES- TER, ANDJOHN HAYNES, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

COIN-CONTROLLED PREPAYNI ENT GAS-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,502, dated April16, 1895. Application filed July 20, 1893. Serial No. 481.003. (Nomodel.) Patented in England January 9, 1892, No. 465, and December .Toall whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS THORP, residing at Whitefield, THOMASGARDINER MARSH, residing at Manchester, and JOHN HAYNES,

residing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, subjects ofthe Queen of Great Britain, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Prepayment Gas-Me ters, (patented Aas to part thereof inGreat 1o Britain by Letters Patent No. 465, dated January 9, 1892, andNo. 23,924, dated December 28, 1892,) of which the following is aspecication.

This invention relates to prepayment gas meters delivering a quantity ofgas proportionate to the number of coins inserted and consists in thecombination with said meters having an index showing the total gas confsumption and a second index showing the unzo consumed quantity paid for,of a third index showing the total number of coins inserted sincestarting the meter yand of improved mechanism for actuating said thirdindex simultaneously with the second index by the motion of the coinreceiving and delivery device.

The drawings annexed hereunto show how our invention may be carried intoeffect.

Figure l shows the upper part of a gas meter and indices; Fig. 2, anelevation with part of the framing in section, and Fig. 3 a plan View ofthe index mechanism.

On the drawings A denotes the gasmeter; which may be of any ordinaryconstruction,

but is for the purpose of illustrating our invention represented as adry meter. i

B is the dial plate on which the upper pointers and dials show the totalnumber of coins or sum of said coins inserted since taking the 4c meterinto use, the second horizontal sliding indicator showing the number ofcubic feet of gas paid for but not yet consumed, the llower dials andpointers being the usual index showing the total gas consumption.

C is a slot for inserting the coin and D a knob or handle fortransferring the coin to the box E, which can be removed and emptied bythe collector.

The knob D is fixed upon a shaft CZ Figs. 2

and 3, which iscranked or provided with a 5o' crank pin d to which aconnecting rod cl2 is attached. Upon a stud screwed into the foundationplate Fof the index mechanism the coin carrier H is mounted so that itcan oscillate. This coin carrier is formed of a fiat plate h with bossh2 a second cross plate being bent so as to form a slot h3 for the coinand iriserted into a slot of the plate h and secured thereto. A stud h4isscrewed into the plate 6o h and passes through a slot in theconnecting rod cl2, the slot being of such length that the crank d canturn half around without moving the stud. The bent cross plate isslotted for the connecting rod d2 freely to pass 65 through it. Belowthe coin carrier H a coin race c with ratchet teeth is fixed. p

When the crank is turned back as shown in the drawings, the slot h3 isopposite the slot C so that a coin of the predetermined 7o kind can beinserted, when it will catch on the curved plate c and as the crank isturned, be pushed by the end of the connecting rod d2 against the frontplate of the slot h3 and thereby cause the coin carrier H to be pushedforward by the motion of the crank. The coin drops off the plate o on tothe race c, the ratchet teeth. of which prevent the coin from beingdrawn backward again, until the crank d reaches its most forwardposition, 8o when Vthe coin drops off the race cinto the receptacle E.Previous to the next insertion of the coin the crank has to be returnedto its starting position, as a wing` plate h5 on coin carrier H preventsthe insertion of coins 8 5 through the slot O until the crank hasarrived in this position. Thecoin carrier thus has to make anoscillation of denite length foreach coin inserted. This motion weutilize to opcrate thc'coin, totalizing index in the follow- 9o Apaw1"""'g n (or two pawls g g differing in length) arnounted on a studg3 fixed in the plate h and? engage the ratchet wheel G, so

that foreach reciprocating movement of the 9 5' coin carrier H, theratchet G is advanced by e seato a certain number of teeth and the shaftl of said ratchet rotated. The rotation of this shaft may be utilized towork an indexin any known manner ordinarily used for this purpose, thatshown on the drawings being preferred. For use with pennies the size ofthe ratchet wheel G and the stroke of pawl g are so determined that thewheel makes one twelfth revolution for each oscillation of the coincarrier H, a pointer fixed upon the end of the shaft Z moving in frontof the dial marked D on Fig. 1, thus indicating the number of pencedelivered into the receptacle E. A single cog Z on shaftl operatesawheelm with twenty teeth on shaft m, a pointer on this shaft moving in frontof the dial marked S and moving by one division after twelve pennieshave been inserted into the box E and indicating shillings. In a similarmanner a single cog m2 on shaft 'In operates a wheel n. on shaft n, thenumber of teeth of this wheel being optional, for instance twenty, apointer on the end of shaftn moving in front of the dial marked Lindicating pounds sterling. For use'with a decimal coinagethe wheelswould be formed with teu teeth. By means of this index the total sum ofmoney placed into the boxE is recorded, andby subtracting the previousreading-from the actual indication the collector can ascertain at onceand check the number of pennies that ought to be in the box, withouthaving to calculate the same from the gas consumption recorded by thelower index, and detect at once if the box E has been tampered with.

The pointer 0 moving in front of a horizontal scale indicates theunconsumed quantity v of gas that has beenpaidY for and is actuated inthe following manner: Upon the coin carrier H is mounted a screw p sothat it can be turned around but not move endwise, upon which screwthere is threaded a'nutpformed with a pivot upon which aconnecti,rig-rod@2 is hinged. This rod is connected at its other end toa lever p3 mounted loosely upon a stud fixed in the foundation plate Fupon which stud is also mounted a ratchet wheel Q with a long bossterminating in a pinion q. A pawl p4 engaging said ratchet wheel Q ishinged to the end of the lever p3, and by these means for eachoscillation ot' the coin carrier H the ratchet wheel Q is turned for acertain number of teeth, such number depending upon the distance of thenut p from the center stud h2 which distance can be variedby turning thescrew p. The pinion qgears with the threads of a long hollow screw qwhich can slide and turn on a shaft q2 fixed in the projectionsf andfcast on the foundation plate F. Upon the end of the screw q a wheelg3 isfixed and between said wheel and the threaded part of the screw q agroove is formed into which the turned part o of the slide O enters, solthat the movement of the screw q on the shaft q2 carries said slidealong with it, the

other end of the slide being supported by a stud o2 screwed into theprojection f which stud passes through a long slot in the slide. Theslide has the pointer o fixed to it. As the ratchet wheel Q is turned ateach insertion of a coin in the manner before described, the pinion qmoves the screw q and slide O to the right for a distance that can beregulated by shifting the nntp nearer to or farther from the center ofstud h2, and the movement and indications of the pointer made to agreewith the quantity of gas obtainable for a coin paid into the meter. Forinstance at the price of gas of two shillings and six pence per onethousand cubic feet the nut p would be so adjusted that the pointertraverses the scale from zero to 100 for three insertions of a pennyeach. The wheel Q3 on the nut gears with a long pinion r along which it`slides when the screw q and slide O are shifted as before described. -Onthe end of the shaft of said piniona crown wheel r is fixed, whichengages witha small pinion r2 on the first motion shaft of the lowerconsumption index which is rotatted by the movement of the measuringdevicein the-usual way and from it the other Aindex wheels and shaftsare rotated through pinions and wheels s' s2, S3, s4, S5 in the ordinarymanner. As the pinion r2 revolves it turns the crown wheel r and throughthe pinion r the wheel g3 and screw q in such a direction that it screwsitself along the pinion q, which acts as a nut, to the left inproportion to the gas consumed, so that the pointer 0 moves back andindicates the quantity remaining to beconsumed` before afurther paymentrequires to be made.

A screw t is screwed into the back part o ofthe slide O ,the head ofwhich screw comes against the valve t which may be either the inlet oroutlet valve of the meter, and closes itwhen the pointer arrives atzero, so that the further supply of gas is cut off, the valve openingagain by the gas pressure when a further coin has been paid in and theslide shifted thereby to the right. When the other end of the 'slide Ohas arrived at the extremity of its travel to the right it places itselfbehind the slot G in the casing and prevents the insertion of furthercoins; so that the varions parts cannot be moved so far by the motionofl the coin carrier H that they become locked or broken.

For meters of various constructions, the arrangement ofthe mechanism foractuating the coin totalizing index as well as the unconsumed gas indexmay be varied and we do not confine ourselves exclusively to thosedescribed, but

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1,. The combination with a prepayment gas meter of a spindle having aratchet wheel and a pointer fixed thereon, a pawl operating said ratchetwheel and hinged to a vibrating coin IOO carrier formed with a recessfor the coin used in prepaying, a crank shaft operated from the outsideof the meter by a handle, a connecting rod attachedto the crank pin andformed with a slot embracing a pin in said coin carrier, and a coin racefixed below the coin carrier substantially as described.

2. The combination witha prepayment gas meter having the usual indicesof the gas consumption and unconsumed but paid for quantity of gas, of aspindle forming part of and actuating a third index, a ratchet wheelfixed on said spindle, a'pawl engaging with said ratchet wheel andconnected to a coin carrier formed with a recess for receiving the coin,a crank shaft operated by a handle from the outside, a connecting rodattached to the crank pin and formed with a slot embracing a pin in saidcoin carrier, a slot being formed in the carrier for said connecting rodto pass through unless closed bythe coin, a coin race fixed below thecoin-carrier and a receptacle for the coins substantially as described.

3. The combination with a prepayment gas meter of an index for showingthe sum of the coins paid in consisting of a spindle, pointer and dialfor each denomination of coins, said spindles being rotated by gearingin the ratio of the values of the coins indicated, a ratchet wheel fixedon the first motion spindle of said index, a pawl engaging with theratchet wheel and connected to a coin carrier formed with a recess forreceiving the coin, a crank shaft operated by a handle from the outsideof the meter, a connecting rod attached to the crank pin and formed witha slot embracing a pin in said coin carrier, a slot being formed in thecarrier for said connecting rod to pass through unless closed by thecoin, a coin race fixed below the coin carrier and a receptacle for thecoin, substantially as described.

4. The combination with aprepayment gas meter having the usualVconsumption index and a coin totalizing index, of a slide having apointer attached to it and moving in front of a horizontal scale, saidslide being attached to a nut threaded upon a screw, which screw isrotated in one direction bythe coin receiving and delivery mechanism andin the oppo` site direction by the first motion wheel of the gasconsumption index.

5. The combination with a prepayment gas Y meter having the usualconsumption index and a coin totalizing index operated by the motion ofthe coin carrier, of a ratchet wheel, a pawl engaging said ratchet wheeland at` tached to a lever reciprocated from the coin carrier, a pinionon the boss ot said ratchet wheel engaging a sliding screw, a slideconnected to said screw so as to `move with the same and carrying apointer moving in front of a scale, a wheel mounted on said screw andengaging a long pinion, a crown wheel fixed on the spindle of saidpinion and in gear with a pinion on the first motion shaft of theconsumption index, an adjustable screw screwed to said slide, and a gasvalve actuated by said screw.

6. The combination with a prepayment gas meter having the usualconsumption index of an index for showing the sum ot the coins paid inconsisting of a spindle, pointer and dial for each denomination ofcoins, said spindles being rotated by gearing in the ratio of the valuesof the coins indicated, a crank shaft operated by a handle from outsideof the meter, a connecting rod attached to the crank pin, an oscillatingcoin carrier formed with a recess for the reception of the coin, a pinin said carrier embraced by a slot in said connecting rod, a slot in thecarrier for said connecting rod to pass through unless closed by thecoin, a coin race fixed below the carrier, a receptacle for the coinsbelow said race, a pawl hinged to the coin carrier and engaging aratchet wheel fixed on the first motion spindle of said`index,a secondpawl attached to the coin carrier at a variable distance from the centerof its oscillation, a second ratchet wheel engaged by said pawl andhaving a a pinion fixed to it, a sliding screw in the thread of whichsaid pinion engages and connected to a slide so that said slide moveswith it,a pointer attached to the slideand moving in front of a scale, awheel mounted on `said screw and engaging a long pinion, a crown wheelfixed on the spindle of said pinion and in gear with a pinion on thefirst motion shaft of the consumption index, an adjustable stop screwfixed on said slide and a gas valve actuated by said screw.

7. The combination of a prepayment gas meter ot' a spindle, a ratchetwheel fixed thereon inside the case of the meter, and a pointer fixed tothe cuter end of said spindle and moving in front of a marked dial,apaw1actuating said ratchet wheel and attached to an oscillating coin carrieroperated by means of a handle on the outside of the meter and a coininserted into said coin carrier and interposed between the same and areciprocating rod actuated by said handle.

8. The combination with a prepayment gas meter having the usual gasconsumption index and an index showing the nnconsumed quantity of gaspaid for, of a third separate index showing the total sum of coinsinserted into said meter in the different denominations of coins used inthe respective coinage, said index being operated by a spindle having aratchet wheel fixed thereon and a pawl engaging with said ratchet wheeland attached to an oscillating coin carrier operated by means of ahandle on the outside of the meter and a coin inserted thereinto.

9. The combination with a prepayment gas meter having the usual gasconsumption. index and an index showing the unconsumed quantity of gaspaid for of a third separate index showing the total snm of coinsinserted IOO IIO

IZO

into said meterl in the diierent denominations fixed our signatures inpresence of two Wit ro of coins used in the respective coinage, saidnesses.

index being operated by a spindle havin01 a Y ratchet Wheel fixedthereon, a pawl engaging M ARSH 5 with said ratchet wheel and attachedto an TOHN HAYNES J oscillating coin carrier operated by means of ahandle on the outside of the meter and a Witnesses: coin inserted intosaid coin carrier. CARL BoLL,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto af- RIDLEY JAMES URQUHART.

